One Year Before/ASAP:• Choose a location, taking into consideration your wedding style and guest list.• Send out save-the-date cards early, so guests can budget for travel/time off and get their passports ready.• Call a tourism office for more destination-specific information.• Make sure your paperwork is up-to-date and that you have all the documents needed (birth certificates, passports, travel visa, et c).• Research the marriage requirements of the country (i.e. documents, public notices, and residency requirements).• Consider a wedding package as a low-stress option. Services of a planner are often included, as are the services of local vendors.• When hiring a wedding planner, find one who specializes in destination weddings or who is based in your destination location.• Contact the relevant church or temple. If you’re planning a religious/cultural ceremony, be aware that some countries also require a civil ceremony to legalize the union.• Consider the climate when choosing your gown.• If it applies, get vaccinated (or make sure your vaccinations are current).

4 Months Before:• Scout your location. Try to book a visit (or two) to see the venue, taste the menu and meet the vendors.• Plan a few events for guests (i.e. a welcome party, day at the beach, golf tournament).• Buy plane tickets• Book accommodations.• Book transportation for shuttling guests to and from the airport and to all wedding events.• Inquire about group discounts for flights and hotels for guests.

One Week Before:• Take your dress as carry-on to ensure it doesn’t disappear if your checked baggage gets lost.• Arrive early to finalize paperwork and iron out last-minute details.• For some critical elements (photography, hair, makeup), you may want to fly in talent.

Hmmm,&nbsp;valid point Yosemitebride. FI &amp; I decided on Aruba because of the sentimental element it had for both of us however, we also agreed that if we were going to have our family and friends pack up and fly somewhere for our wedding, why not have them fly somewhere that will be a unique, unforgettable&nbsp;and&nbsp;probably a once-in-a-lifetime&nbsp;experience for everyone! Once again..an open mind is a wonderful virture ;-) JMHO!
Overall, GREAT article Margaret :-)&nbsp;I was&nbsp;JUST chatting with another bride on Tripadvisor yesterday who is also having a destination wedding in Aruba next year and she was telling me how she's having a hard time finding information about destination weddings and hearing from other brides who are planning their's and I directed her to PW because of the diversity of brides here, so glad that I did!

LOL... Yosemitebride! I hear ya! We decided to get married in Key West, however I'm trying to find a tropical garden setting... we'll see how that goes! People can go to the beach on their own time! lol

Why is there always an assumption that "destination wedding" means you are having your wedding at the beach and traveling out of the country? I am having a destination wedding, but it is in the U.S. and is not at the beach!! A lot of the same advice in this article still applies, but I just get sick of people using destination wedding and "beach" synonymously.

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Destination Weddings
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